Chapter 9
If we can’t stop the pouring rain,
let’s get soaked in it together.
"Ridhima, here I come my love," says Sejal.
Came a voice and a figure zoomed past everyone and jumped and held Riddhima in koala baby pose making Riddhima stumble a bit in her place with the impact of the force. A girl was clinging to Riddhima and holding her in a tight hug with a broad smile on her face. And that’s how ladies and gentlemen's Sejal Shergill made her grand entry in front of Rai Singhania family.
Every Rai Singhania had a different expression on their face but one thing was common a certain amount of disbelief with varying degrees with the brash and tomboyish looking girl in front of them. Aghast was what Vansh felt, with Sia raising her brows, Kailash looking around uncertainly little confused and clueless, Angre wide-eyed, Ishani with disbelief, Rudra chachu with confusion on his face while his wife and son had read on their faces.
With a scandalized expression on her face and feeling embarrassed Riddhima pulled Sejal away from her a bit and looked around.
Looking around the faces which had different expressions on. Ridhhima holding Sejal’s hand moved forward towards Dadi and with an awkward smile on her face said
“Dadi this is…”
but was cut-off in between before she could complete by Sejal coming forward with
“I'll introduce myself”
looking at Riddhima and Dadi respectively. Looking at dadi she said
“I am Sejal, Riddhima’s best friend. You must have been caught off guard with my epic declaration of unconditional love for your granddaughter-in-law right? but what to do dadi it had been so long since I last met her and I missed her so much.”
Said Sejal winningly at the end like a baby-making Riddhima roll her eyes and dadi gave warm laugh and bringing a smile to Sia’s face.
“So you are the Sejal finally I got to meet you Riddhima often talks about you,”
said Dadi with a smile.
“And you are the sweet Dadi RaiSinghania. I heard a lot about you from Ri.”
Said Sejal with a huge smile on her face then suddenly with a frown continued
“I hope you don’t mind me calling you dadi since you are Ri”s dadi so you are my dadi as well.”
declared Sejal unabashedly making everyone raise their eyebrows while Ishani and Aryan rolled their eyes.
The girl standing in front of her was brash, blunt, raw, rustic, a complete tomboy, unabashed and uncaring of the people's opinion about her Chandrika Rai Singhania can see that but she also held a certain kind of innocence, naivety, positivity, and a pure heart beneath all of her raw self that made Chandrika Rai Singhania have an instant liking for the girl. Even though she is quite unconventional and opposite of the social norms of how a normal girl should be yet she seems to be someone whose morals are strong and intact with a strong sense of justice. At the core a lot like her much lovedRiddhima. Also, she did bring the much-needed positivity and diversion after the fiasco created by Chanchal. If nothing else the mere fact that she is someone dear and special for her beloved granddaughter in law is enough for her to like Sejal thought Dadi with a smile on her face.
Smiling at Sejal Dadi said,
“Of course why not.”
Turning around Sejal looked at Sia and said pointing a finger at her
“Sia? Right the sweet and cute one. Nice to meet you”
said Sejal bringing a hand in front of Sia for a handshake.
“Hi, nice to meet you too. If you don’t can I say something you are quite different then what I imagined after hearing a lot about you from bhabhi?”
Said, Sia.
“Tell me something am I any less amazing from your imagination?”
asked Sejal with a mischievous smile on her face.
“Oh, don’t worry way more than my expectations. Friends?”
said, Sia
“Friends.”
Said Sejal with another handshake.
Then turning towards Vansh
“And you are the very famous husband of my dearest friend Mr Vansh Rai Singhania.”
Said Sejal with a drawl and a smirk on her face giving him a once over discreetly.
“Well, Sejal nice to meet you heard a lot about you. You have been out of the city for some time I heard? Was expecting you sooner here.”
said Vansh with a confident smirk. With a smirk on her face, Sejal replied
“Same here. Work and sudden unforeseen circumstances delayed the meet”
giving a sideways glance with narrowed eyes to Aryan and Chachi without anyone noticing it except the two said people and then continued with
“but better late than never.”
“Very well then why don’t you join us and stay with us for a few days? We would like to know you and also about myRiddhima how was she, her likes, she dislikes everything from you. You and Riddhima will also get some time with each other too she has been missing you a lot. What says Vansh”
Said dadi from behind making Vansh nod at her in confirmation. Taking a deep breath turning towards dadi, Sejal said
“Sure dadi but I’ll need to inform my mom and brother with whom I am here.”
But before anyone can say or do anything her phone rang and as soon as Sejal picked it up came a voice whispering dangerously
“Listen to me you brat don’t make me come after you again because once I reach you it won’t be nice.”
Making Sejal go pale, Riddhima raises her brows and silencing everyone else.
“No I mean listen, bro, I swear I did not do anything this time. Promise no pranks, no mischief, nothing Riddhima guess who? I came to meet Riddhima and met the entire Rai Singhania family and dadi just made me offer to stay with them for a few days. I was about to call you to confirm it.”
Said Sejal panicking and signalling Riddhima who had a smirk on her face pleadingly to confirm it to her brother.
“She is right no mischief and troubles caused by her yet though can’t say anything that she did there”
piped Riddhima with a huge oversweet smile and a devilish look in her eyes leaving Sejal gapping at her and everyone surprised to see this playful side of hers. A deep sigh was heard on the other side
“fine, take care but behave”
agreed the person softening a bit later with a little warning in his voice instructed the person on another side much to Sejal’s relief. Turning around to everyone
“Ok, everything sorted. Was there anything going on here with all of your clothes? Did I interrupt something important? I am sorry did not realize it.”
Said Sejal apologetically.
“No beta you interrupted nothing whatever interruption or bad happened someone else is responsible for it.”
Said dadi with a stern gaze at Chanchal
“Anyways anything else that is needed to be done Vansh will handle it. Let’s get some rest.”
Declared dadi.
Appalled and dread was what Chachi and Aryan felt, just now Vansh had stopped Inspector Mohan from arresting Chanchal, and now with this girl Sejal here if their wrongdoings of kidnapping and torturing her to exact information about Riddhima to use it against her came out there is no saving them. Either Chanchal will be kicked out of the house and sent back to her parents’ house at the least or both mother-son duos will end up in jail. Not even Vansh could or would save them if this girl decides to file a case against her and her son thought Chanchal with fear evident on her face. Sharing a look with each other both mother and son duo followed the rest of the family.
Among everything else Anupriya was the one who held an unreadable expression on her face looked on the retreating figures of everyone else.
**********
It’s been a week since Kailash has returned and he cannot help himself but notice and observe the new addition in the family the new daughter-in-law of the house Riddhima. The girl is nice, sweet, and sensible, and everything a daughter-in-law of a respectable family should be but there is something familiar about her that Kailash could not understand. He was sure he hadn't met her before but one never knows so to be sure he decided to ask her about it one day and even she denied meeting and doesn’t remember anything like. He knew she wasn’t lying then why does he is not able to convince his brain why she seems like someone he has known? Once again getting lost in his thoughts Kailash wondered.
**********
“Kabir that girl Sejal is here though she hasn’t said anything to anyone yet but are you sure we can trust her? What if she ended up opening her mouth? We should not take any risk with her and finish her off. Our entire plan can godown.”
Said Anupriya with uncertainty to her son then continued with
“I mean she is Riddhima’s childhood best friend after all. What if her loyalty to her wakes up?”
“Relax mom everything is under control. If Sejal had to open her mouth she would have done it by now but she didn’t. That’s the power of money mom everyone had their price and we have bought Sejal. She being there will be good for us and for our benefit because she is Riddhima’s friend and the closest person to Riddhima can keep an eye on her and others as well and keep us informed. Riddhima has been getting out of my control Ragini is there as well though not in her senses entirely yet but she is not going to stay in that state forever. Sooner or later Ragini will recover and before that, we will have to prepare for our moves also for after Ragini’s recovery and if anything goes wrong how to control the situation. Look Riddhima already does not trust you so won't take any chances with you and also no one is allowed to go near Raginiexcept for the doctor, nurse, or Vansh and Riddhima themselves so you can’t finish off Ragini as well. At best we can do is have someone who Riddhima trusts enough on our side and hence Sejal. Obviously, she isn’t doing it for free she is being paid for it, and also she knows what is good for her and if she tries to double-cross us how could end for her.”
Said Kabir reassuringly to Anupriya.
Kabir: “Now just relax and let me finish some work. I’ll call you later. Bye mom”
Anupriya: Bye
Kabir remembered how one fine day Sejal graced his place and how she decided to become his ally and shut her mouth.
**********
Flashback
Kabir entered his office and was taken aback seeing a person he least expected standing in there.
“You? What are you doing here?”
asked Kabir shocked.
“Why are you not happy seeing me here? Heard you have been looking out for me guess was wrong.”
Said Sejal with fake disappointment.
Recovering himself Kabir said
“Well, now that you are here it saved me a lot of hard work and time that would have gone in search of you not that it already hadn’t much. So how come you landed here knowing full well what would happen to you once I get hold of you?”
asked Kabir in wonder.
“About that, you see I am sick of hiding so thought why not end it by coming to you straight and sort it out with you?”
said Sejal casually.
“And how do you propose we do that apart from me killing you and the threat you pose me and my mother? How do I trust you and why?”
asked Kabir nonchalantly.
“For the starters, I still haven't told anything to Riddhima so you see you do have a reason to believe me considering you haven’t been able to find me all this while and I could have easily relied on everything to Riddhima all this while but since you are a cop and a very dishonest one at that too not to mention how sick of a person you are.”
Making Kabir raise his eyebrows at the blatant insults thrown at his way by the girl sitting in front of him
“no wonder he always hated her guts and never really liked her,”
thought Kabir with dismay I thought even as Sejal continued,
“I thought even if I do end up helping Riddhima, for now, you like persistent pest won’t leave either of us alone later not to mention the constant threat you will keep posing on us. So here is a deal your mother is none other than Anupriya Rai Singhania even though step yet a mother trusted and loved by her stepson Vansh Rai Singhania so arranging some hard mullah won’t be tough for you or her.
I would have asked for my and Riddhima’s safety and a promise of you two not harming us in any way but since your words have much to no value I am not sure of it. So for that, I am willing to become an eye keeper for you in VR Mansion in return I want a confirmation that no harm should come to either of us from both you and your mother.
You can't have it all alone by risking both of us and our lives you'll get entire Rai Singhania empire you could afford to give us something little there is no need for the bloodshed. So whatsay? You get what you want and we can leave and start a new life away from here because even though if you do leave us Vansh won’t after the betrayal he will come after us so we will need to go undetected to save ourselves for that we'll need cash which will be provided by you. I am just asking for me and my friend's safety in return for my silence.”
Said Sejal while looking straight into Kabir's eyes.
“Wow, I never thought you will betray Riddhima sorry but not able to trust you.”
Said Kabir with distrust and disbelief.
“I am not betraying anyone I am just being practical and ensuring what is best for me and Riddhima. Sadly Riddhima is quite emotional and believes anyone easily that’s the reason she has landed herself in the current mess she is in. Besides I have come to know her husband is no saint either. So tell me, are you ready for the deal?”
asked Sejal bringing her hand in front of Kabir for a handshake taking her hand in hesitantly Kabir said
“Deal but do remember to never try to betray me or else you and your friend both will say hello to her parents.”
Threatened Kabir with a warning.
“Don’t worry between two of us it’s you who's loyalty and words are questionable. So you remember to not ever try to betray us or else whether we live or not you won’t be spared before coming here I made sure if anything happens to me or Riddhima your truth will come out in front of the world I assure you about that.”
Warned Sejal to Kabirwith an edge in her voice and left from there.
Flashback ends
*********
Dark it was all dark around her. The darkness was suffocating her and a bone-chilling fear was gripping her. Muffled voices of some people were heard but she couldn’t hear them clearly and could not see them. Who are the people? Whatis happening? Fear held her in one place she could not move. Gathering courage she ran and she ran for her life. Suddenly she fell on the ground something slippery was there on the ground. Rising up she saw her hand's blood was on them. Looking around she saw the entire ground was covered in blood. She screamed but even her screams were engulfed by the darkness. A figure came forwards holding a gun in his hand. He raised it towards a man but she could not see their faces. He pulled the trigger on him making a loud scream come out of her.
“Nooooooooo” screamed Riddhima.
Waking up from the nightmare Riddhima sat up straight. Hearing her scream Vansh woke up with a start looking around for the threat
“What happened?”
he asked her worried.
“Nothing just a nightmare. Sorry for waking you up.”
Said Riddhima huffing like she has run a mile.
“That’s fine don’t worry about that. What was the dream about that you got scared so much?”
asked Vansh with concern.
“I don't remember. Don’t worry I am fine you go back to sleep.”
Said Riddhima assuring Vansh.
“Are you sure?”
asked Vansh getting a nod from her in reply. Going back to sleep he wondered why does he care? He doesn’t he is just playing the role and went into a deep slumber.
Riddhima sat taking the support of headrest lost in thoughts “This has been happening to her for the first time though she had been getting a restless sleep for the past one week she never really had a nightmare like this before. She did not remember much but she did remember the fear she felt. The immense terror like never before had she felt in her life not even in those countless encounters with death she had in the past few months since she married Vansh.” Looking at the clock went back to bed for a night of restless sleep.
Written by: @BhataktiAtma
Contributed by: @Abhyudaya
Chapter 10 - https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/5187277?pn=64#154917024
Edited by Abhyudaya - 5 years ago
Anupamaa
